Garden Tomato Elixir

Directions

1. 1
   Have a couple of mixing bowls handy, and place a sturdy wire sieve (with small but not tiny holes) in one of them.
2. 2
   Rinse the tomatoes if necessary; cut out the cores and any other hard parts.
3. 3
   Following the instructions for preparing tomatoes on page 261, peel the tomatoes, slice them in half, and squeeze out the seeds.
4. 4
   You should collect all the skins and seeds in the sieve, all the juices in the bowl underneath it, and all the crushed tomato pulp in the second bowl.
5. 5
   After you have pressed the seeds and skins to extract their juice, dump out the residue and rinse the sieve.
6. 6
   Now put the crushed pulp in the sieve and push and scrape it all vigorously, forming a puree that drops into the juice.
7. 7
   (Heres a quicker procedure, if you prefer: Core and trim the tomatoes but dont peel them.
8. 8
   Cut them into quarters, or smaller pieces, and drop into the sieve.
9. 9
   Press and rub the tomatoesskins, seeds, and alluntil the scrapings are as dry as you can get them.
10. 10
    Its faster, but you wont get quite as much puree this way.)
11. 11
    With a wire whisk, blend the pureed pulp and juice, adding the 1/4 teaspoon salt.
12. 12
    Now drizzle in your best olive oil, a tablespoon at a time, whisking steadily, as the oil emulsifies.
13. 13
    Taste and add more salt if you like.
14. 14
    Smash the peeled garlic cloves under the big blade of a chefs knife; drop them into the emulsion.
15. 15
    Crumple up each basil leaf in your fingers to release the oils and drop them in as well.
16. 16
    If you like a bit of heat, add a pinch of peperoncino.
17. 17
    Cover the bowl, give the garlic and basil 2 to 3 hours to infuse the tomato, at room temperature, then scoop out the cloves and leaves and discard.
18. 18
    Whisk up the elixir, add salt or drops of lemon juice to taste, and enjoy.
19. 19
    Serve at room temperature as a vegetable sauce, then keep it in the refrigerator.
20. 20
    Braised endive
21. 21
    Pan-sauteed peppers and/or eggplant
22. 22
    Sauteed or boiled zucchini
23. 23
    The intensity of other raw vegetables at the peak of flavor can be captured in a small sauce, similar to my method for tomato elixir.
24. 24
    Try sweet red and yellow peppers: puree them in the food processor and pass through a strainer.
25. 25
    Then whisk in salt and your best olive oil to create an emulsion sauce with body and texture.
26. 26
    Cucumbers are another good base: seed, skin, puree the flesh of small cukes, then emulsify with oil.
27. 27
    Serve chilled with hot vegetables, for an unusual treat.